In this audio extract, Hebridean ornithologist, Peter Cunningham, talks to Bill Sinclair about the different species of birds to be seen at Broad Bay, near Stornoway.

Interviewer: Now there's something running along the shore there. Do you see just at the, at the edge of the tide?

Yes, I'm looking through the glasses at the moment and I can see dunlin with the black belly; little delicate waders with a white breast but a black belly. Very conspicuous. One or two ringed plover with their black and white stripes on the head - little bigger than the dunlin. But that seems to be all we have at the moment on the beach whereas in the winter time we have masses of these species and of great godwits, bar-tailed godwits, in the main and others of the sandpiper group.

Interviewer: Well, where are you going to take me from here, Peter?

Well, I just wanted to show you a little pool at the back of the beach which is a very useful place in the winter time for wildfowl. We get teal and we've even had American teal amongst them at one time or another. This is great snipe country incidentally.

Interviewer: Is it?

A great snipe bog stretching from this shore to the southern shore on the Minch side of the island. You can hear the skylark singing above us.

Interviewer: It's a wonderful sound, the skylark and it's a, it's a sound you can hear perhaps really, really every month of the year -

That's right.

Interviewer: - if the conditions are favourable.

I know. And it's interesting to compare it with the song of the meadow pipit which we hear on the moor - takes the place of the skylark on the moor. Yes, you see there's not much water left there and probably not a - There's a fulmar just passing us. Almost at - You could almost have touched it. Lovely expressions on their faces, the fulmars, I think. It's one of my favourite birds.

Interviewer: It always looks so innocent looking.

Yes. And they're so curious. You can - you can almost reach out and touch them sometimes. No there's nothing in the pool at all just now. Probably several snipe hiding away somewhere but it can be a very good place at the right time of year. And, of course, we get buzzards on this part of the island, too, hunting in the, in the bog

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Birds at Broad Bay, Lewis

ROSS: Stornoway

1980s; 1990s

ornithology; bird watching; audio

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Bill Sinclair Audio: Bird Watching

In this audio extract, Hebridean ornithologist, Peter Cunningham, talks to Bill Sinclair about the different species of birds to be seen at Broad Bay, near Stornoway.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: Now there's something running along the shore there. Do you see just at the, at the edge of the tide?<br />
<br />
Yes, I'm looking through the glasses at the moment and I can see dunlin with the black belly; little delicate waders with a white breast but a black belly. Very conspicuous. One or two ringed plover with their black and white stripes on the head - little bigger than the dunlin. But that seems to be all we have at the moment on the beach whereas in the winter time we have masses of these species and of great godwits, bar-tailed godwits, in the main and others of the sandpiper group.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: Well, where are you going to take me from here, Peter?<br />
<br />
Well, I just wanted to show you a little pool at the back of the beach which is a very useful place in the winter time for wildfowl. We get teal and we've even had American teal amongst them at one time or another. This is great snipe country incidentally.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: Is it?<br />
<br />
A great snipe bog stretching from this shore to the southern shore on the Minch side of the island. You can hear the skylark singing above us.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: It's a wonderful sound, the skylark and it's a, it's a sound you can hear perhaps really, really every month of the year -<br />
<br />
That's right.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: - if the conditions are favourable.<br />
<br />
I know. And it's interesting to compare it with the song of the meadow pipit which we hear on the moor - takes the place of the skylark on the moor. Yes, you see there's not much water left there and probably not a - There's a fulmar just passing us. Almost at - You could almost have touched it. Lovely expressions on their faces, the fulmars, I think. It's one of my favourite birds.<br />
<br />
Interviewer: It always looks so innocent looking.<br />
<br />
Yes. And they're so curious. You can - you can almost reach out and touch them sometimes. No there's nothing in the pool at all just now. Probably several snipe hiding away somewhere but it can be a very good place at the right time of year. And, of course, we get buzzards on this part of the island, too, hunting in the, in the bog